THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE FISHING 41 



the English commissioners, on the subject of the general 

 association for the fishings. The Scotch commissioners were, 

 The Earl of Menteith, President, The Earl of Morton, Trea- 

 surer, The Marquis of Hamilton, The Earl of Roxburgh, The 

 Earl of Carrick, Sir William Alexander, Secretary, Mr. John 

 Hay, and Mr. George Fletcher. These or any five of them 

 were given absolute power to conclude upon all matters 

 concerning the intended association. 1 



The instructions given to these commissioners are inter- 

 esting as showing the views held at the time upon fishing 

 rights. After some general directions anent guarding the 

 interests of Scotland, the commissioners were asked to declare 

 " that the seas foreanent the coasts of this kingdom and 

 about the yles thairof, and all that is interjected betuix 

 thame and that midlyne in the seas whilk is equallie distant 

 and divyding frome the opposite land, ar the Scotish seas, 

 properlie belonging to the crowne of Scotland, and that the 

 English hes no right nor libertie to fishe thairin, nor in no 

 part thairof, bot be vertew of the associatioun and not other- 

 wayes." 



Again, they were to reserve the fishing " within the loches, 

 firthes, and bayes, within the mayne land and yles of this 

 kingdome, and, in the seas, within fourteen myles of the 

 coasts of the said mayne lands and yllands." 



They were to be careful that the English and Irish got 

 no privilege in Scotland, which the Scotch were not allowed 

 in England and Ireland. Further, the king was to be asked 

 to style himself in all documents " King of England, Scot- 

 land, France and Ireland," so that Scotland might no longer 

 be confounded " under the name of Great Britane, altho 

 there be no unioun as yitt with England nor the style of 

 Great Britane receaved there." 2 



1 Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. v. p. 230. 



- Ibid, vol v. pp. 232-3 ; Reg. Privy Council, Scotland, vol. iv. (2nd 

 series) p. 57. 



